The 3-Minute Ritual That Changed Everything (and Why It’s at the Heart of Mind Kind)

Welcome to Mind Kind

Hi, I'm Danijela.
Life coach, psychology student, mum to a brilliant neurodiverse kid — and for the longest time… someone who really wanted to journal but just couldn't make it stick.

I used to buy the prettiest notebooks.
Write on Day One.
Maybe Day Two.
And then... nothing.
Just guilt and blank pages.

A feeling that I was somehow "doing self-care wrong."

I heard Oprah say — that journaling, just 10 minutes a day, changed her life.

And I thought: If Oprah, with an empire and more responsibilities than I can fathom, can find 10 minutes... surely I can too?
But still — I didn't.

Until I gave myself permission to drop the perfect version of journaling.
No rules. No rituals. Just a few messy thoughts, for a few minutes, when I could.

That's how Gratitude Glow was born

My messy, three‑minute journaling journey

I never planned to create a journal.
I just needed to stop holding my breath all the time.
I needed three minutes to hear myself again.

And those three minutes?
They changed something.

Not overnight. But slowly, gently — I started feeling lighter.
Journaling became a small pause in the noise. A reset button. A way to catch my breath before the day carried me away.

It didn't always look pretty.
Sometimes I would write standing up while rushing out the door to catch the bus to work.
But it still worked.

It still gave me that ping of joy, grounding, and happiness.

Because when you journal without pressure, it starts to feel like a friend — not another thing on your to-do list.

This is where Gratitude Glow lives

This isn't about "being your best self."
It's about coming home to yourself — even if that self is tired, messy, and with a lap full of biscuit crumbs you had while hiding from your kid.

Gratitude Glow is for:

• Parents with no time (but all the love)
• Entrepreneurs with a million tabs open
• Students, caregivers, overthinkers, and anyone who has ever whispered, "I just need a minute."

If you've ever bought a beautiful journal and ghosted it by Day 3 — this is for you.

 

Why 3 minutes > 10

There's science behind this.

Studies show that tiny, consistent habits create the biggest shifts in our brains.
It's called the compound effect — and it works for journaling too.

💡 Just a few minutes of gratitude a day can:

• Lower cortisol levels
• Boost dopamine and serotonin
• Improve sleep, mood, and even heart health
  (you can read more on this in our science breakdown).

And when it only takes 3 minutes?
You're way more likely to actually do it.

You don't have to be perfect

Your journaling doesn't need to be poetic.
You don't need a scented candle and a silent house.
You don't even need to finish a sentence.

You just need a pause.
A breath.
A moment to check in.

And maybe… a little help from your feline friends.
(Alan is usually sitting on the journal, and Cookie tries to eat the pen — but hey, they're part of the process.)